The Handkerchief
by AmericanPi
Summary: (Drabble) Ash loses Serena's handkerchief during a storm.


**A/N: Trublsmbob dared me to write an AmourShipping drabble in the SPPf Shippers' Truth or Dare Thread. It was a little challenging, since I've never written a drabble before and I'm not familiar with the XY anime. I had to do a little research on Serena and the XY anime before writing this. But it was a fun little thing to do. Enjoy. :)**

 **I'm pretty sure that Ash is rather OOC here, which is something I'll keep in mind when I eventually rewrite this during one of my Rewrite Months (Februaries).**

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"Ash!" Serena exclaimed through the storm, spotting her traveling companion on his hands and knees at the edge of a cliff. She ran towards him, the wind and rain buffeting her skin. "I'm so glad I found you!" she gasped. "Where are Clemont, Pikachu, and Bonnie?"

Ash didn't respond. He was staring in horror at the violently churning waters of the swollen river, which was at least twenty feet below the cliff edge.

"Ash?" Serena asked, concerned. She kneeled down next to him. "Is something wrong?"

"It's gone…" Ash said softly, not looking up. "I took it out to wipe away the rain and the wind just carried it away from me. I ran after it, but it blew into the river and got swept away."

"Your handkerchief?" Serena guessed. When Ash nodded, she continued, "It's just a handkerchief. We can buy another one when we get to the next town."

"It's not the same," Ash said, looking at Serena with such emotion in his eyes that Serena turned away. What was making Ash so miserable? He usually wasn't like this.

"It's your handkerchief too," Ash explained, as if he could hear Serena's question. "It's the one that I used to bandage up your ankle when we first met years ago. You kept it for so long in memory of me, and set out on your journey partly because you wanted to return it to me." He sat down as a lightning bolt flashed across the sky, and a thunderclap followed it. "Don't you see? It's because of that handkerchief that I met you and started travelling with you. And now it's just gone."

Serena could feel herself blushing, and she hoped Ash couldn't see it. "Oh, Ash…" she murmured, sitting down, "You really held on to that handkerchief during all this time? That handkerchief really meant that much to you?"

"Yeah," Ash said. "Because, y'know, you held on to my handkerchief for years and never forgot about me. You kept it to remind yourself to never give up hope, and you even returned it to me. It's because of that handkerchief that we met for the second time, and you became such a big part of my life." He sighed. "So yeah, it was pretty important."

"I can see why it would be," Serena said earnestly. Privately she wondered how she would have felt if she had lost Ash's handkerchief before being able to return it to him. _I would have felt pretty sad_ , she realized. _I mean, it's just a handkerchief, but it was a symbol, too. It was a symbol of the lesson Ash taught me._ She put a comforting hand on Ash's shoulder, and Ash looked up to meet her gaze.

"But Ash," she said, thinking out loud, "just because the handkerchief is gone doesn't mean that everything it stands for is gone as well. I'm travelling with you now, and you will always be a big part of my life. And the hope it stands for… honestly, Ash, without the handkerchief you can still have the same determination to never give up." Serena laughed. "If you're going to let a lost handkerchief get in the way of your dream, then I don't think we've been introduced properly."

Ash was silent for a while. Then he laughed as well. "You know what, Serena, you're right," he said, and Serena was relieved to see that Ash had regained some of his usual verve. "I honestly don't know what came over me." He stood up, and Serena followed him. "Thanks for helping me, Serena," he continued, smiling as he began to walk down the slope. "Come on! We've gotta fo find Pikachu, Bonnie, and Clemont."

"Shouldn't we find a place to shelter from the storm?" Serena yelled over a thunderclap as she caught up with Ash.

"Nah, I've gotta make sure all my friends are safe first," Ash answered.

 _That's the spirit_ , Serena thought as she nodded in understanding, her heart filling with warmth. _For now I'll help Ash find the others. I'll tell him when the time is right._


End file.
